ROUNDING OFF
If you were to pull up at your local biker’s café on your new Panigale with your squeaky boots and shiny new leathers, you’d probably feel pretty godly, right? I know I would. But after 15 years of having the poo kicked out of them on the road, both the Honda and the Yamaha factory fanny magnets of old felt worn out. During the 300 plus miles that we did on the pairing, not once did I have any sexy Spanish knickers thrown at me. Not even soiled ones. In fact, the only soiled undies were my own (and possibly Frodo’s, but you’ll have to ask him) after riding the Fireblade. Its fuelling was so harsh low down that it almost spoiled the ride, not to mention the knackered battery which, even after plenty of hours of riding, struggled to spin the motor into life. But it didn’t spoil anything. Once on the open roads, it did nothing but make us grin. A strong engine, a well-balanced chassis and unbelievable front brakes meant the Fireblade, once on big enough roads, was difficult to fault.
It was a similar situation on the R1. Its dicky ignition and lack of bottom were nuisances, accountable to the age of the machine, just like its slip-slidey seat, which was borderline dangerous. That said, the Yammy and the Honda carried an endearing charm, which helped us to see past the hang-ups and smack big smiles on our faces. The revvy nature of the R1’s engine made you want to wring its neck at all times, and the more neck wringage that went on, the more laughs were had. It was just a shame the brakes gave up the ghost before we finished enjoying ourselves on it.
We had to keep reminding ourselves that we were on 15-year-old bikes. You’re bound to have minor problems with bikes of that age – and they were minor problems; especially when compared to the problems you might have with car. of similar age. Or a 15-year-old daughter. £4k should pick you up a bike like this, and an extra grand should be plenty to sort out all the little problems that might be associated with well-used bikes like these, plus a few upgrades to give these bikes a bit more brilliance.
Ok, if looks are what matter most, or the registration plate’s age, it doesn’t matter how many parts you throw a 15-year-old sportsbike’s way. These are not as fashionable as a new bike and not quite as fast, but you’d be surprised what you could keep up with, on a bike like the ’04 R1 or ’Blade. In fact, we reckon this little pairing are so easy to ride and fast enough to humble a lot of riders on 200bhp, firebreathing alternatives. 200bhp can be too much sometimes, especially on your average British circuit, especially on the roads... and that’s before we’ve even touched on the pricing differentials. Four-thousand pounds is a lot of money, but £15-20k, the typical price of a new litre bike, is a hell of a lot more (I knew those extra maths lessons would pay off one day). The point is that for a lot less money, you’re not getting a lot less bike. If anything, back in ’04, devoid of any aids or wizardry, the kind of power these bikes were making was not to be sniffed at, and they’re still not. Better still, they’re never going to lose money like a brand new crotch rocket, so you’ve got more reasoning power to throw at the better half when it comes to convincing them why you need one of these in your life.
As to which one of the two you should chose, we’d be swayed that little bit more towards the ’Blade. Ok, this bike, with an aftermarket can on it, was blighted by bad fuelling, but it rocked in so many other ways. It was the more exciting of the two, which gave it an edge over the comfy, girl-next-door, Yammy. Unless, of course, you’re after cuddles and cocoa, that is. Each to their own.